Hanna Shaputka: Only solidarity can help Dashkevich

A round table discussion “Freedom for Dashkevich! Freedom for Belarus! Stop 411” was held today in Minks. The event was organized by “For Freedom” initiative.

Participants discussed issues relating to aid to Zmitser Dashkeivch, who was recently sentenced to a year in prison under article 411 of the Criminal Code of Belarus for repeated failure to obey the prison administration, BelaPAN news agency learned from coordinator of 'For Freedom” civil initiative Hanna Shaputka.

She noted it had not been the first round table to discuss issues on the release of political prisoners. “Unfortunately, we don't see a wave of solidarity with political prisoners. We try as we can, but we cannot to raise it to the needed level. We are discussing what can be done, but we need help of all concerned people,” Shaputka said.

“If this wave will be strong, if thousands of Belarusians show they worry about political prisoners, they will be released. And of course if Europe stops playing with the  dictatorship,” Shaputka noted.

'For Freedom” initiative offers to launch a musical marathon of solidarity. It is supposed to begin in Belarus and continue in European countries. Another idea is to make video addresses of prominent Belarusians to the Belarusian authorities and the EU demanding to free political prisoners.

According to Shaputka, relatives, friends and democratic activists are recommended to use all opportunities to inform people about political prisoners. “We have an excellent example of the wife and daughter of former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin – Iryna and Volha. They attended every picket and used every opportunity to demand his release when he was in prison,” Shaputka said.

The court of the Hlybokae district held an on-site hearing in penal colony No. 13 in Hlybokae on August 28 and found Dashkevich guilty of repeated failure to obey prison administration (part 1 of article 411 of the Criminal Code). Dashkevich was sentenced to one year of imprisonment. The new sentence covered four remaining months of his previous sentence.